New Busker on the Square: Balloon Artist David Perkins

David Perkins makes balloon art for children on Market Square, Knoxville

We've had buskers on the square for a long time. Sometimes they've been hassled a bit, but all-in-all Knoxville seems to have made peace with its inner busker. I've written about a number of them on this site and I always appreciate what they do. I try to support them as I can because they make our city a better place.

Young guy likes the bird - at a distance

A girl with her balloon flower, Market Square

For the most part our buskers have been musicians and singers. Many of them have professional-level talent while others don't have so much. Recently we've seemed to have an influx of the not-so-much variety, but I'm hoping spring brings  a positive change in that direction.

The bird works the crowd, Market Square, Knoxville

Balloon sword fighting to the clarinet, what's not to love?

What we do have is a trickle of different types of busking, which I see as a very positive development. I recently highlighted a magician and a bronze guy (who, by the way, no one knows how to contact, do you?). The latest in this line of alternative busking is David Perkins who makes balloon art for passersby for tips. He is sometimes accompanied by a woman who has a parrot that gets almost as much attention.

Holding the bird, Market Square

Children and a parrot, Market Square, Knoxville

David is also a professional musician and is often heard playing clarinet while children sword fight with his creations. Sometimes they get a bit too enthusiastic and attack urban bloggers, but I digress. David also plays a shofar and sometimes includes a small gong in his act. I'd prefer he leave the shofar and gong at home as they are pretty obnoxious from one end of the square to the other, but the children do seem to love it all.

Children, balloons and Market Square, Knoxville

He actually is available for events such as children's parties at which I'd say he is very good. At the least he adds some pretty cool color to the square. Check him out the next time you are in the city. And tip him when he makes a balloon flower for your child!

People Watching in the City

Macaw on Union Avenue

Isn't the people watching in a city one of the best things about the whole experience? In some respects we have a pretty homogeneous downtown population. It's a mostly white crowd with a large contingent of twenty-somethings and a large contingent of fifty and sixty-somethings. Fortunately, there are exceptions and I hope the exceptions grow.

Alexia Pantanizopoulos and friends play Beatles and more

A little percussion helps - busking on Market Square

It's not that people watching can't be interesting in Walmart - there's an entire website devoted to it. It's also the only activity that helps me survive the rare drudgery of a trip to the mall. What else could save time spent in that artificially-lighted wasteland? For me, people watching is about the only attraction in that sterile environment. I can't even get a decent cup of coffee in a Knoxville mall.

Sheila and the Sandwich Board - Union Avenue

Man taking matters into his own hands.

This was one of the most interesting sights of the month. This older gentleman, decked out in his suspenders and suit pants is painting the curb in front of the City-County Building with yellow spray paint. I assume he felt that curb is some sort of hazard. I wonder if he would be commended by city officials or arrested for defacing public property. Still, you have to like it: If you think your world needs to be changed, change it!

Lovers at World's Fair Park on a lazy Sunday morning

A star in her own mind.

The World's Fair Park is a great place to see some odd or simply interesting people. It seems to be the place for quite strolling or dangling your feet in the water (even if a tractor is looking over your shoulder) with the one you love. I also discovered the young woman pictured above giving a very enthusiastic performance to the audience in her head. I might try that sometime. I've also seen an acting class on the stage and sometimes the Frisbee skills displayed on the lawn are superb.

Bill and the Boy

Bill and the Boy

Kind a cool moment led to the two pictures above. I like sitting with Bill for a few minutes now and again to catch up on the gossip in the city and see how he's doing. This particular day we were talking about Worship in the City and I commented that surely the crowds must be good for his busking business. He told me that it wasn't, that the fundamentalists acted like he has a disease and avoid him. As he railed against religious people in general, the young boy approached and asked him if he'd like a sandwich from Subway. He carefully took Bill's order and scurried back to his mother and the two walked toward the deli. I'm not sure if it changed Bill's assessment of anybody, but it was pretty sweet.

So, the city is different. Stroll a few blocks and you might just as well run into some of Knoxville's most wealthy citizens and homeless people. You'll likely see musicians, whether you recognize them or not, Knoxville is full of them. You'll see the cool and the hopelessly uncool. Lovers and the lonely. It goes on, but you'll almost always see something you didn't expect if you keep your eyes open. That would generally require more of us to unplug our ear buds, stop staring at our smart phones and unglue them from our ears. Be here, now, right?

I'll hopefully see you all at the Hola Festival on Saturday. Have a great weekend in the city.

A Mid-Week Evening at Oodles

Plenty of people go out to eat during the middle of the week in suburbs all over the country. Strip mall restaurants and traditional mall restaurants are full of those of us who simply can't bear to cook that night. Is it any different downtown? Yes: It's easier. A short walk from any point downtown and you pass by or are in front of a dozen or more restaurants all wanting your business.  No need to dress up. No need to crank the car. That's the good news and the bad news. It's good because, well, you're hungry. It's not so good for the budget. 
Still, in my experience, that may not be the biggest difference. The biggest difference for me is best shown by a description of a recent Wednesday night outing. Recently I read that Tomato Head began by serving only lunch and the hours were gradually expanding to weekend evenings and then very gradually into the week. The reason was a lack of clientele downtown. Such is no longer the case.

I walked in the direction of food that night and landed eventually at Oodles. My plan was to get something delicious and not break the bank. I was successful at the first part. I got two crab cakes and a salad and every bit of it was delicious. Of course, they routinely win the "Best Wine Selection" in Metropulse's best of competition. A soft rain began to fall while I ate (outside, of course) and I developed a new appreciation for their magnificent umbrellas. I never got wet and the rain cooled the air to just a perfect temperature.

Then came the biggest difference: Everything in every direction is interesting. On one end of the square a troupe practiced songs for the up-coming Shakespeare on the Square production.

A glance in the opposite direction revealed amateur hula-hoopers practicing the lessons being offered for free among the trees. Across the square I could make out the image of Elder Beat Master hip hopping all over the screens at Knoxivi.

Directly adjacent to my spot on the patio I watched a young busker trying to play and sing under a tree while the rain got harder, eventually forcing him to give it up.

Most fun of all was watching a couple consider then decide to have fun in the fountain.

So yes, the food was excellent, but it's the ambiance that makes all the difference. And it's priceless.